Automatic mobile liquid petroleum transfer device



p i 7 4 J. P. SMITH 3,127,752

AuTbMETIc MOBILE LIQUID PETROLEUM TRANSFER DEVICE Filed Nov. 22, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG; 1 I3 INVENTOR JOHN P. SMITH ATTORNEY A ril 7, 1964 J. P. SMITH 3,127,752

AUTOMATIC MOBILE LIQUID PETROLEUM TRANSFER DEVICE Filed Nov. 22, 1961 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.5

United States Patent 3,127,752 AUTQMATIC MOBILE LIQUID PETROLEUM TRANSFER DEVICE John P. Smith, P.0. Box 675, Nixon, Tex. Filed Nov. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 154,280 Claims. (Ci. 6252) This invention relates to an automatic mobile liquid petroleum transfer device. More particularly, this inven tion relates to a mobile liquid petroleum transfer vehicle which carries a liquefied petroleum gas in a tank from which a quantity thereof is delivered to a consumers tank at the situs thereof.

Many consumers of gas for heating purposes and the like are located in areas which are not accessible to the conventional pipeline system. In particular, rural areas do not have pipelines due to the tremendous cost attendant the installation and maintenance of such pipelines and the revenue derived from the sale of the gas is not sutficient to pay for the pipeline. However, in recent years the use of containers containing liquefied petroleum gas has become popular as a source of gas after vaporization thereof for stoves and the like. Ordinarily, such a unit containing the liquefied petroleum gas is situated out side the building and is provided with a suitable pipeline to a stove or the like for ultimate consumption by the consumer. In some instances, the containers containing the liquefied petroleum gas are rotated. As they become empty they are removed for filling at a distributing point and then are returned in a filled condition. However, consumers who require considerable quantities of liquefied petroleum gas have found it more expedient to have their tanks filled by mobile vehicles which carry a highly thermally insulated tank containing liquefied petroleum gas. In other words, the vehicle or truck carrying the liquefied petroleum gas visits each consumer and pumps the liquid from the distributing vehicle to the consumers tank. It will be appreciated that this arrangement is more efficient and permits the delivery of larger quantities of the liquefied petroleum gas. This arrangement also has an analogy in oil delivery trucks where oil is delivered to a consumers tank from which the fuel is then pumped for ultimate use. However, the delivery of oil and the delivery of liquefied petroleum gas presents considerably different problems. When oil is to be delivered, a suitable pumping mechanism pumps the oil into the consumers tank. As the liquid oil decreases in the tank, natural atmospheric air is admitted through an air hole. Due to the high boiling point of the liquid oil, there is no need to eifect pressurization. However, when liquefied petroleum gas is to be delivered, the tank containing the liquefied petroleum gas has to be completely enclosed and as the liquid is pumped from the tank, the pressure conditions above the surf-ace of the liquid must be maintained so that the pumping unit need not fight the decrease in pressure and the consequent increase in energy required to pump out the liquefied petroleum gas.

In order to obviate the difliculties attendant the removal by pumping means of portions of the liquefied petroleum gas, means have been developed to take a portion of the liquefied petroleum gas and to heat it in order to vaporize the liquefied petroleum gas. The vaporized gas is then fed into the zone above the liquid level in the tank of the vehicle in order to repressure the tank as required in order to maintain a constant flow through the pump and delivery system provided.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to disclose an ingenious system for delivery of liquefied petroleum gas from a vehicle to a tank separate from the vehicle.

It is another object of the present invention to disclose a unique system for vaporizing portions of the liquefied 3,127,752 Patented Apr. 7, 1964 petroleum gas carried in a tank vehicle for re-pressuring the tank as delivery from the tank is made to another container.

it is yet another object of the present invention to disclose a unique vaporization system for providing repressuring liquefied petroleum gas containing tanks on vehicles employing the heat emanating from the engine of the vehicle.

These together with other objects and advantages will become instantly apparent from the details of the system as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof in which:

FIGURE 1 represents a side elevation of a schematic layout of the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 is a partly broken away perspective of the vaporizer unit employed in conjunction with the system.

FIGURE 3 is a top cross-sectional view of the valve control mechanism employed in the present system.

[FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional side elevational view of the said valve control arrangement.

FIGURE 5 is a top view of an element employed in the valve control mechanism.

Turning to FIGURE 1 for a detailed analysis and consideration of the present invention, reference numeral 11 shows, generally, the vehicle having mounted thereon a tank 12 which contains liquefied petroleum gas 13. It will be seen that the vehicle 11 is powered by an internal combustion engine 14 located in a conventional position. Tank 12 has a conduit 15 located along the bottom portion thereof and is connected to a suitable useful pump 16 which is powered by a take-off means of a conventional type from engine 14. It will be appreciated that different motive means may be employed in conjunction with the operation of pump 16. A conventional valve 17 is located in the conduit 15 in order to adjust the flow of the liquid or to cut it off completely. At the pressure side of the pump 16, there is a conduit 18 which directs the liquefied petroleum gas through a T 19, which further distributes the liquefied petroleum gas through a conduit 20 to a metering device 21. 1A conduit 22 after the meter 21, which may be a hose, distributes the liquefied petroleum gas to the consumers tank 23.

Returning to the T 19, it will be seen that a portion of the liquefied petroleum gas is distributed into conduit 24 through valve 25. Conduit 24 delivers the liquefied petroleum gas to a vaporizer 26; greater elucidation will be provided below. The vaporizer 26 is a heat exchanger device which vaporizes the liquefied petroleum gas and delivers it from the vaporizer 26 through conduit 27 into tank 12 at a position above the level of the liquefied petroleum gas as can be seen at 28. A suitable check valve at 29 in conduit 27 prevents back pressure of the gas.

The vaporizer 26 is connected through conduit 31 to the Water supply surrounding the internal combustion engine so that heated Water therefrom may be delivered to the vaporizer 26. The exchange water returns from the vaporizer 26 through conduit 33 and may be directed to radiator 32 of the vehicle 11 and then through conduit 35 to the engine 14, or directly through a by-pass conduit 34 and conduit 35 to the internal combustion engine 14. A suitable valving arrangement 36 in a T adjusts thermostatically the flow of the water. More about this arrangement will be provided below.

Now, turning to FIGURE 2 for a further detailed consideration of the mechanism of the vaporizer 26 which operates in conjunction with the valving arrangement 36, attention is directed to the upper portion of vaporizer 26 where it can be seen conduit 24 provides the inflow for the liquefied petroleum gas and conduit 27 provides the outflow for the vaporized gas resulting from the heat exchange relationship in the vaporizer 26. The vaporizer 26 consists of a cylindrical housing having mounted therein a spaced double helical coil 39 which carries the liquefied petroleum gas and the vaporized gas as it is produced. The heating fiuid surrounds the helical coils in the cylinder. It will be noted that the cylinder is closed by means of annular fiat plate 4% which is in confrontation with an annular flange on the end portion of the cylinder and is suitably riveted to the top of the cylinder. The bottom portion, not shown, may be constructed the same way or may be integral with the cylinder itself. Conduit 31 carries the heated water from the internal combustion engine 14 and is connected to a stub tube 41 which is suitably Welded to the cylinder. The hot water fiows from the cylinder through the stub tube 42 which is also welded to the housing. Conduit 33 ends in a T arrangement containing valving arrangement 36. The valving arrangement 36 includes longitudinally mounted in conduit 33 a heat sensitive element 44 which is expansible as it becomes heated and moves arm 45 to the right, as in the drawings. Spring 46 urges the arm 45 to the left. A yolk member 49 operates on vane valves 47 and 48 in a manner so that as valve 47 is opened, valve 43 is closed. It will be appreciated that as the water in vaporizer 26 becomes too hot after a control setting is established in the valving arrangement 36, valve 47 opens by virtue of the expansion of the thermostatic element 44 thereby permitting the heated water to go directly to the radiator 32 from which the water then flows through conduit 35 to the internal combustion engine block. At the same time as valve 47 is opened, heat sensitive element 44 closes valve 43 thereby preventing the by-pass of the Water directly through conduit 34 to conduit 35 and the internal combustion engine block. Naturally, the valving arrangement 36 can achieve an intermediate position so that only a portion of the water goes to the radiator and a portion of the water is conveyed directly back to the internal combustion engine block.

Attention is now directed to FIGURES 3, 4 and for the preferred embodiment of the valving arrangement 36. Instead of the thermostatic element 44 as shown in connection with FIGURE 2, a Sylphon is employed as indicated by reference numeral 51. The Sylphon is pivotally mounted to a ring arrangement 52 which has a journalled axle 53 onto which one end of the Sylphon 51 is secured by means of ear 54. The expandable Sylphon 51 is a well-known device which extends longitudinally with a rise in temperature and contracts with a fall in temperature. The ring 52 is soldered into the conduit. The forward end of the thermostat Sylphon 51 has an extension 55 which is forked to accept the actuating arm 56 which consists of two stamped metallic pieces sweated together to present the structure shown in the figures. A pin 57 serves to fasten the actuating arm 56 and the forked end 55 of the thermostat extension. It will be seen that pin 57 is positioned through substantially a central portion of actuating arm 56. A pin 5h in the end fork portion of the actuating arm 56 engages a lever 59 of the valve 60. Pin 61 at the other fork end of actuating arm 56 engages lever 62 of valve 63 in the other conduit 64-. The valve 64) and 63 may be formed integrally with their lever arms by means of a die cast process so that a hole drilled through each may serve to engage the pins 65 and 66 which are journalled in rings 67 and 68 respectively. Rings 67 and 68 are fitted over the tubular body of the valving arrangement 36 and may be sweated to the body to prevent water leakage. The holes which accept the rods 65 and 66 may be closed by soldering or by a threaded member if desired. The dotted line 7h as shown in FIGURE 4 describes the path of the pin 58 as the thermostat cycles from one extreme to the other of temperature. In the course of so doing the valve as remains closed when the temperature is below normal thus preventing water from reaching the radiator. The valve 63 is closed when the maximum temperature desired is reached. For intermediate temperatures the valves are positioned by the Sylphon 51 for movement so that they assume a balanced position to insure that the normal temperature desired in the system is maintained.

It will be appreciated that any departure from the desired normal temperature in the use of either embodiments of the present invention in the valving arrangements 36 will immediately influence the thermostat thus causing it to expand or contract as the temperature may rise or fall. This in turn will readjust the differential setting of the thermostat to properly distribute the flowing water so that just the proper amount will flow to and through the radiator, while the remainder is bypassed to the engine cooling system to maintain a uniform temperature at the lower as well as near the upper reaches of the engine block.

Naturally, it will be apparent that various types of temperature sensitive elements may be employed in using the diiferential thermostat without departing from the essense of the invention. The advantage in using the preferred embodiment, namely, the Sylphon resides in the fact that the Sylphon requires no separate spring. An excellent advantage in using the vaporizer 26 of the present invention in the manner exemplified in the above, is to insure that the engine of the vehicle may continue to function in order to undertake to provide the power for pump 16 while maintaining the engine in a cool condition even though the vehicle is not moving. Naturally, there is a considerable latent heat interchange in the vaporizer as the liquefied petroleum gas is heated to a vapor condition. In this manner, the engine is maintained cooler than would be possible if such a vaporizer were not used and the engine would continue to operate to provide the motive power for the pump necessary to pump the liquefied petroleum gas into the consumers container.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principals of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in (the art, I do not desire to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a system for delivering liquefied gas to a consumers container from an internal combustion engine powered vehicle, said engine being water cooled, said vehicle having a radiator for said water, a tank mounted on said vehicle adapted to contain liquified gas, conduit means to deliver the liquefied gas from the tank to the consumers container, a pump in said conduit means to pressurize said liquefied gas, a further conduit means to deliver a portion of said pressurized liquefied gas to a heat exchanger for vaporization of said liquefied gas, means to deliver the vaporized gas to the tank to pressurize the tank, the heat exchanger being connected to the water supply of the internal combustion engine, the heat exchanger being directly supplied with water from the internal combustion engine through a first conduit, a water return conduit between said heat exchanger and said water supply of said internal combustion engine, said return conduit being divided into a first branch connecting said water return conduit with said radiator through a first port, a second branch connecting said water return conduit with a second conduit connecting said second branch to the water supply of said internal combustion engine, a conduit connecting a second port of said radiator with said second conduit, a heat sensitive control means positioned in said water return conduit to control the supply of the water to the engine, a flow control valve positioned in said first branch and a iiow control valve positioned in said second branch, said control means adapted to operate said valves in each branch.

2. The system or" claim 1 wherein a single heat sensitive control means operates both valves differentially and simultaneously.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the said first branch is perpendicular to said second branch and said heat sensitive control means is adapted to cooperate through linkage means to operate said valves.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the linkage means includes an L-shaped actuating arm being connected near substantially the central portion thereof to said heat sensitive control means, said L-shaped actuating arm having an end portion extending into the first branch and the other end portion extending into the second branch, the end portions of the actuating arm are adapted to manipulate transversely positioned rotatable valves.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the heat sensitive element is a Sylphon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,073,276 Ensign Mar. 9, 1937 2,252,830 Bliss et a1 Aug. 19, 1941 2,308,122 St. Clair Jan. 12, 1943 2,331,879 White Oct. 19, 1943 2,363,960 Hansen Mar. 28, 1944 2,467,413 Wildhack Apr. 19, 1949 

1. IN A SYSTEM FOR DELIVERING LIQUEFIED GAS TO A CONSUMER''S CONTAINER FROM AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE POWERED VEHICLE, SAID ENGINE BEING WATER COOLED, SAID VEHICLE HAVING A RADIATOR FOR SAID WATER, A TANK MOUNTED ON SAID VEHICLE ADAPTED TO CONTAIN LIQUIFIED GAS, CONDUIT MEANS TO DELIVER THE LIQUEFIED GAS FROM THE TANK TO THE CONSUMER''S CONTAINER, A PUMP IN SAID CONDUIT MEANS TO PRESSURIZE SAID LIQUEFIED GAS, A FURTHER CONDUIT MEANS TO DELIVER A PORTION OF SAID PRESSURIZED LIQUEFIED GAS TO A HEAT EXCHANGER FOR VAPORIZATION OF SAID LIQUEFIED GAS, MEANS TO DELIVER THE VAPORIZED GAS TO THE TANK TO PRESSURIZE THE TANK, THE HEAT EXCHANGER BEING CONNECTED TO THE WATER SUPPLY OF THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, THE HEAT EXCHANGER BEING DIRECTLY SUPPLIED WITH WATER FROM THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE THROUGH A FIRST CONDUIT, A WATER RETURN CONDUIT BETWEEN SAID HEAT EXCHANGER AND SAID WATER SUPPLY OF SAID INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, SAID RETURN CONDUIT BEING DIVIDED INTO A FIRST BRANCH CONNECTING SAID WATER RETURN CONDUIT WITH SAID RADIATOR THROUGH A FIRST PORT, A SECOND BRANCH CONNECTING SAID WATER RETURN CONDUIT WITH A SECOND CONDUIT CONNECTING SAID SECOND BRANCH TO THE WATER SUPPLY OF SAID INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, A CONDUIT CONNECTING A SECOND PORT OF SAID RADIATOR WITH SAID SECOND CONDUIT, A HEAT SENSITIVE CONTROL MEANS POSITIONED IN SAID WATER RETURN CONDUIT TO CONTROL THE SUPPLY OF THE WATER TO THE ENGINE, A FLOW CONTROL VALVE POSITIONED IN SAID FIRST BRANCH AND A FLOW CONTROL VALVE POSITIONED IN SAID SECOND BRANCH, SAID CONTROL MEANS ADAPTED TO OPERATE SAID VALVES IN EACH BRANCH. 